chambers



-tion.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJ. CHAMBERS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRIGT OF COLUMBIA.

LETTER-S'I'AMP.

Specfication of Letters Patent No. 8,884, dated September 23, 1851.

To aZZ whom it may conccrn Be it known that I, BENJAMIN CHAMBERS, of the city of W'ashington and Distriot of Columbia, have nvented a new and Improved Letter-Stamp7 and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification. i

The purpose of my invention is to furnish a stamp having a simple and ready mode of'disoharging the movable letters and figures containing the date of the stamp, while preserving the integrity of the cylindrical metallic or other block containing the `fixed letters, and avoiding the Cutting away and weakening of the handle.

I form my stamp of a block of metal generally of a cylindrical form, but it may be oval elliptical or prismatic in the cross sec- From the upper end of this block projects a shank to enter the bore of the handle. This shank may be either of a piece with the block itself, or may be inserted or firmly fixed into it by screwing or other well known means. The block has as usual at its lower end a square opening to receive the name of the month and the figure representing the day of the month on separate types which types when inserted are held in place by av set screw or other equivalent fastening. These two types rest when used against the solid top of the square cavity; but when it becomes necessary'to push either of the types out for the purpose of replacing it by another a separate punching rod or follower comes down through a small hole and urges out one type without disturbing the other. The necessity of somf; means of pushing out the types is caused by the thickness of the ink which getting between the types and the sides of the cavity in which they are set, creates an adhesion ancl causes delay. Besides this any other mode of getting out the types of the stamp is more or less liable to injure the letters.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a cross section through the part of the stamp represented by the dotted line aa w Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a face view of the stamp, and Fig. 4, is a separate view showing the detached follower or punching rod R with its cross wing N, and

sliding thumb piece O. Corresponding letters represent the same parts in all the figures.

A is the body of the stamp on the end of which is seen in Fig. 3, the permanent device or name ofthe place where the stamp is to be used (which in the present figure is Baltimore, Md.). In the lower end of the block is represented in the same figure and also in Fig. l, the square hole H to receive the movabletypes T and T' on the latter of whchare the letters FEB, and on the former the figure 5. The types being inserted in the proper position the thumb screw S retains them in place. As the type T (Figs. 1 and 3) are required to be changed about thirty times as often as T', the removal is made by the rod R' pushecl down by the thumb slide O' which is connected by the wing N' moving up and down in the slot M', which slot is formed in the body of the stamp and does not eXtend into the handle. The punching rod, wing and thumb slide are made in a single piece, and act one on each side of the center or shaft of the block. When at the end of a month it becomes necessary to displace the movable type T it is efected by means of the second follower R. Fig. 2 shows in section the rods R and R', the slots M and M' and the two thumb slides O and O'. A shank L Fig. 1, projects from the upper end of the block A and upon this is the handle K.

I do not claim punching out types from a cavity by a follower, but

What I do claim as my mvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. So making and Operating the det-ruding rods or followers of a letter stamp as to act wholly within the body of the stamp block whereby I avoid Cutting away the handle and the weakening which would be caused thereby.

2. I also claim making the detruding rod R Wing N and thumb slide O in a single piece whereby I greatly economize the labor of making this part of the sta-mp as herein set forth.

B. CHAMBERS.

Witnesses JAMES OWNER, VVALTER JoHNsoN. 

